How to make a frappe at home with coffee

Then I remembered the dregs of a jar of cold-brewed iced coffee waylaid at the back of my fridge, and a recipe in Alice’s book, Savory Sweet Life for an iced coffee frappe. Bingo.

So I stepped on the gas and headed toward my own kitchen. Shortly afterward, I had my ice-cold caffeine fix in hand and I had saved five bucks.

I couldn’t just stop at the coffee, though. Whipped cream was needed, after the week I’ve had, shaved chocolate, too, and an espresso bean for good measure.

Thanks to this extra tall iced frappe (and its over-the-top-espresso-bean-garnish), I was sufficiently fuelled and cooled for the task of catch-up. Here’s the recipe should you find yourself with a monster to-do list and few alternatives.

A few notes on this simple summer beverage:

My frappe is shown as separated, mostly because as SOON as I had it made and was ready to photograph the drink, Clara woke up and needed to be changed, fed, burped, etc.

The recipe blends up nice and smooth and really delivers a frosty iced coffee frappe. 

Okay: sugar content. Alice’s original recipe called for three tablespoons of granulated sugar, and I’m guessing that if you want a frappe that tastes close to a Starbucks version, you’d better go ahead and add the sugar.

But it is just as delicious with coffee as the star ingredient. Don’t forget the whipped cream!

If you’re looking for a simple cold brew ice coffee, I’ve got that too.

Iced Coffee Frappe

Keep cool and caffeine-fueled with this homemade version of an iced coffee frappuccino. Recipe adapted from the Savory Sweet Life cookbook.

4.70 from 13 votes

Course: Drinks

Servings: 1

Calories: 118kcal

Author: Aimee

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups ice cubes
• 3/4 cup cold-brewed coffee or extra-strong brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 Tablespoon raw cane sugar or demerera sugar
• Whipped cream optional, to garnish.

Instructions

• Combine the ice, strong coffee, milk, and sugar in a blender and pulse/puree until frothy and ice is pulverized.

  Patty is a freelance recipe developer who worked as Alton Brown’s Research Coordinator & Podcast Producer and in the Oxmoor House test kitchen. She loves maple syrup, coffee and board games. Patty lives in Atlanta with her husband and two children.

  updated Aug 8, 2022

  Refreshing blended coffee drink topped with sweetened whipped cream.

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  Credit: Photo: Julia Gartland; Food Stylist: Rebecca Firkser

  A lot happened at the turn of the millennium. We were introduced to Beyoncé by way of Destiny’s child, VH1’s Pop-Up Video gave us winning trivia answers for years to come, and Blockbuster’s heyday was ending, thanks to a new mail-in-DVD service called Netflix. At the same time, a certain chain of coffee shops opened, seemingly overnight, in just about every suburban strip mall and introduced us to the wonderfulness of Frappuccinos (or frappés).

  I give credit to this coffee-flavored milkshake (let’s be real — that’s essentially what it is!) for introducing me to coffee. Even in this era of cold brew and coffee concentrates, nothing is as refreshing on a hot summer afternoon as a blended coffee frappé.

  What Is the Difference Between a Frappé and a Frappuccino?

  The word frappé comes from the French verb “frapper,” meaning to hit. The history of the frappé also has roots in another part of Europe. In Greece, instant coffee is shaken with sugar and water and poured over ice to make a foamy and refreshing caffeinated beverage.

  Starbucks trademarked the term Frappuccino® in the mid-1990s upon acquiring a coffee shop that served a blended coffee concoction. Starbucks stores are the only coffee shops that can legally advertise this beverage by name, so expect to see this blended beverage labeled as a “frappé” elsewhere.

  

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  Credit: Photo: Julia Gartland; Food Stylist: Rebecca Firkser

  How Do You Make a Frappé?

  1. Make and cool coffee. Chill brewed espresso, instant espresso, or strong brewed coffee until very cold.
  2. Place ingredients in blender. Add milk, light brown sugar, and vanilla in a blender, then top with ice. Ice cubes differ in size and shape, so the best way to measure is by weight. Using four ounces of ice cubes results in a perfectly blended beverage in which the flavor is not diluted.
  3. Blend. Begin blending on low and increase to high speed to crush the ice finely and incorporate air into the beverage.
  4. Serve. Pour the frappé into two glasses and top with whipped cream, if desired. Serve immediately.

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  Frappe Recipe

  

  Print Recipe

  Refreshing blended coffee drink topped with sweetened whipped cream.

  YieldServes 1 to 2, Makes 2 cups

  Prep time 3 minutes

  Show Nutrition

  • alcohol-free
  • egg-free
  • kidney-friendly
  • peanut-free
  • low-potassium
  • pork-free
  • pescatarian
  • gluten-free
  • tree-nut-free
  • low-sodium
  • red-meat-free
  • fish-free
  • vegetarian
  • shellfish-free
  • no-oil-added
  • soy-free
  • wheat-free

  Per serving, based on 2 servings. (% daily value)

  • Calories 101
  • Fat 3.2 g (4.9%)
  • Saturated 2.0 g (10.0%)
  • Carbs 17.0 g (5.7%)
  • Fiber
  • Sugars 15.9 g
  • Protein 1.4 g (2.9%)
  • Sodium 28.1 mg (1.2%)
  

  Ingredients

  • 2 double shots

    cold espresso, or 1/2 cup cold prepared instant espresso or strong brewed coffee (See Recipe Notes)

  • 1/4 cup

    whole or 2% milk

  • 2 tablespoons

    packed light brown sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    vanilla extract

  • 4 ounces

    ice cubes (about 1 cup)

  • Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

  Instructions

  1. Place 2 double shots cold espresso, or 1/2 cup cold prepared instant espresso or strong brewed coffee, 1/4 cup whole or 2% milk, 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 4 ounces (about 1 cup) ice cubes in a blender. Begin on low speed and increasing to high speed, blend until thick, smooth, and creamy, 20 to 40 seconds.

  2. Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream if desired.

  Recipe Notes

  Instant espresso variation: Place 1/2 cup cold water and 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder in a measuring cup and stir until the espresso is dissolved.

  Plant-based milk variation: Unsweetened plant-based milk can be substituted for the dairy milk, though the resulting frappe may have a more icy and less creamy consistency.

  Can you use regular coffee in a frappe?

  You can use either fresh coffee or instant coffee to make a frappe. Fresh coffee has more complex composition than instant coffee and is the better option, since it provides a sweeter and more varied bouquet than the instant coffee brew.

  How do you make Frape coffee?

  Directions. Put the ice, espresso, milk, sugar and vanilla in a blender. Blend until thick and smooth. Pour into two tall glasses and top with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

  Is a frappe just coffee and ice?

  A frappe is a frozen coffee drink. It's typically made with instant coffee, cooled to room temperature. This is blended with milk, ice, simple syrup for smoothness, and sometimes flavoring. The flavors that can be added vary from vanilla bean to chocolate chips to caramel.

  What makes a frappe?

  A frappé (pronounced frap-pay) is an iced beverage that has been shaken, blended or beaten to produce a tasty, foamy, and refreshing drink. It is served cold, often with whipped cream and toppings. You can add ice before or after beating the coffee and custom additives such as sugar, milk, vanilla, and sweet sauces.